


The Fallen Paragon Part #3

by Royxec



Series: The Fallen Paragon [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Destiel - Freeform, M/M, Other, Protective Dean Winchester, SPN Hiatus Writing Challenge, Sam Winchester - Freeform, Spn fan fiction, Supernatural - Freeform, supernatural fan fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:14:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28891956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Royxec/pseuds/Royxec
Summary: Exhausted from a long series of chained back-to-back Hunts, as well as taunted by a yearning for a more stable life, Sam Winchester begins to reminisce about the good old days of his College years; prior until everything changed in one unforgettable night. So in effort to sate his ever growing desire, Sam swallowed his fears and began to long process of attempting to reconcile with those he once knew before the chaotic shift of both fate and time. And though it seemed hopeless, for the countless faces he once knew had long forgotten him, Sam was able to reconnect with at least one Soul he knew so long ago. And despite the overwhelming distance and prolonged time that that seemed to pass before being able to reply to each new message or text, Sam did his best to keep in touch with his friend regardless of the strain it put on him. Nevertheless, following the 5th dead end case in a row over a group of untraceable Hex-crazy Witches and a collection of missing Hunters, Sam had enough; he needed a break. And he would not take "No" for an answer.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester & Original Character(s)
Series: The Fallen Paragon [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2117433
Kudos: 1





	The Fallen Paragon Part #3

**The Fallen Paragon**

By: Royxec

** Chapter #3: Hearth and Solitude **

“We’ve only been here for an hour or so and I already hate this place.” Dean grunted, as he pulled the impala into the garage slowly. “The streets are too narrow, confusing, and make no sense.”  
“Perhaps,” Castiel muttered. “But we’re here safe now and, at least according to Sam, we get to have ourselves a vacation.”  
“How so Cas…” Dean grumbled, putting the impala in park before shutting off the engine. “What—we have a little sleepover, braid Sam’s hair, watch scary movies in one room, then play stupid college games like ‘ultimate frisbee?’ Please, I rather just go out drinking…”  
Dean shifted his gaze onto his best friend and frowned. However, the very moment he did, he noticed a flare of concern wash over Castiel’s handsome face. Vanishing just as fast as it had first appeared, the blue-eyed angel swiftly looked away and grinned; his composure now stoic and calm. “Speaking of which,” Castiel sighed. “I just remembered something Sam wanted me to discuss with you prior before we arrived—alone…” Castiel blinked twice, then looked down at his left hand. Extending two fingers plus his thumb out next, the handsome angel snickered. “Well, three things…”  
Dean instantly felt his stomach tightened and his pulse quicken. Narrowing his eyes, for he already knew what he was about to hear was either bad news or something he didn’t want to know, Dean leaned back against the door of the impala and waited. “Hit me Cas.” Dean ordered. “Give me your worst!”  
Confused, Castiel tilted his head to his side and lightly allowed his lips to open agape. “Why would I want to hit you, Dean?” The blue-eyed angel asked sweetly. “Or give you my worst too?”  
“For Hell’s sake—it’s an expression Cas…” Dean huffed, expelling a loud puff of air as he glared forward in frustration. “I meant, tell me what you need to tell me. I can take whatever it is.”  
“Oh,” Castiel replied, smiling slightly. “That makes more sense.”  
Dean quickly glanced back and his best friend before Castiel started to speak again. Catching a brief moment of Castiel’s cute smile just before it vanished from sight, Dean could not help but grin subtly; his own mood improving almost instantaneously the second he saw Castiel’s dimples.   
_Shit, I don’t know rather if he is more handsome when he is befuddled or smiles like that._  
“Well, first off,” Castiel continued, his eyes fixated on Dean’s chest. “This is a sober house—so there will be no alcohol here during the duration of our chosen stay.”  
Immediately, Dean’s eyes widened and his mood shifted back towards frustration.  
“But, that is only because James does not drink personally.” Castiel muttered, trying to speak slowly and bluntly so Dean would not misconstrue his words. “So it is, ‘BYOB’—whatever the Hell that means.”  
“‘Bring your own beer,’ Cas…” Dean grunted. “Damn it…”  
“Two, Sam asked me to warn you ahead of time that James is eccentric and unorthodox.” Castiel said, laughing under his breathe despite the fact that he did not know what those two words meant when they were used to describe one’s personality.  
“So he is like Garth—so to speak…” Dean mumbled. “Great… Would be easier to deal with him if I had a beer to calm my nerves, but sure, let’s see how he differs…”  
“Finally, the most important thing of all, is…” Castiel took a deep breathe, then looked away from Dean. “Is…”  
“ _IS_ …” Dean grumbled, repeating Castiel’s last word impatiently again.  
“Forgive me, it is just I rather not say it…” Castiel replied.  
Dean struck the steering-wheel of the impala with his main hand, causing the stationary car to suddenly jerk in place momentarily for a second or two. “What?” Dean asked, his voice hoarse with anger. “He a vegan? Only eats meat on Wednesdays? Can’t do it unless the lights are on? Or something far worse than I can’t imagine because in the end it is so kinky, that I myself in the future might find out that I enjoy doing it too once I try it alone somewhere while I’m drunk?”  
Castiel’s facial expression shifted, alerting Dean that he was now confused more than he was before.  
_Shit, there he goes again… Damn it, why did he have to be so cute!_  
“No,” Castiel said bluntly. “It is just, Sam said you two were more likely to butt heads than get along at first if left unsupervised. And judging on how you acted when you first saw him when he pulled up before—I must agree.” The blue-eyed angel then sighed loudly. “Perhaps it is because you two are very much alike when it comes to your stubbornness and hypervigilance. Or like you, he too has the inability to trust others when given appearance alone.”  
“Hey, I’m not stubborn—Cas!” Dean rebutted. “I’m just highly motivated by my passions not to give up—that is all! As for hypervigilant—maybe… But then again I have to be for you two’s sake. Otherwise you two lovable misfits would be long dead like the ancient dodo.”  
Castiel just cupped his face in his main hand and sighed again.   
“Well, what are we waiting for buddy? A ordered summons by Sammantha?” Dean snickered. “Let’s hurry up and greet James politely so I can jet off to the nearest liquor dispensary and inquire about restocking our supply for the entirety of the trip. Otherwise you and me will have to do our drinking at the bars at midnight with all the California weirdos dancing, hugging, and smoking Chuck only knows what around us.”  
“I don’t get the reference, Dean.” Castiel muttered, his face still cupped in his hand.  
“Good,” Dean replied. “Because I don’t have the mental fortitude to explain it to you, nor do I want to do either.” Dean slapped Castiel on his back and grinned. “Let’s go!”

*********

“Bout time you two decided to join us,” Sam muttered, as he leered at both his brother and Castiel from across the living room. “I was starting to wonder what unholy things you two were doing together in the impala alone.”  
“Cas was giving me the rundown that you failed to!” Dean replied. “So buzz off!”  
“Dean, he was just concerned about us,” Castiel interjected. “Show a little compassion. He is your brother after all.”  
“Compassion, nothing!” Dean scoffed. “Karma is a bitch, and Sammy has it coming back to him in Spades for what he put me through during the long trip here!”  
Sam just rolled his eyes at the empty threat. “Sure Dean,” Sam grinned. “While you’re at it, why don’t you own up to your sins once in a while and just admit you were fooling around when you are caught!”  
Dean’s brow furrowed slightly, while his green eyes glistened with ire. “As I said before, Bitch—we didn’t do anything!” Dean glowered. “So get your mind out of the gutter!”  
“He’s right Sam,” Castiel added, his voice ever calm and collected. “All we did was talk about what you asked me to tell Dean before you introduce him to James personally.” Castiel paused momentarily shortly after; his mind lost in thought. Blinking twice before staring at Sam with a puzzled expression, the blue-eyed angel tilted his head to the left, and spoke once more. “Anyway,” Castiel muttered. “Where is James at the moment?”  
As if to answer the angel’s question on cue the very second it was asked, Castiel heard a voice call out from behind. “I don’t know,” the voice replied. “He was here a second ago…”  
Emerging from out of the hallway, only then to shamble past both Castiel and Dean in one swift and silent motion, James walked to the kitchen counter with an irked expression. “But knowing him,” James continued, sounding more exhausted than he was exasperated. “The dimwit failed to take stock of the remaining food and other necessities left in the house—again—and as a result, now has to rush to over to the store because he has three extra guest he needs to take care of, excluding himself!”  
Refusing to comment before he knew what was going on, for James’s wardrobe had changed very suddenly since last he saw him, Dean gave James a quick glance over to review what he had missed.  
Currently at the moment James was wearing a black ACDC t-shirt, dark-blue jeans pants, and over shirt that seemed slightly too big for him. To make matters more curious, the clothing itself seemed worn, had old dried bloodstains on it, and it seemed hauntingly familiar to Dean all at the same time; as if he himself had seen it countless time before throughout his life somewhere or another. Finally, though James was barefoot, Dean also noticed that there was a small collection of linen bandages wound tightly around the soles of his feet. And though the linen bandages were clean, Dean could see that James was not applying his full weight on each foot as he walked. He was limping slightly; as if he was wounded recently and still recovering.  
Obviously James had changed his attire during the his absence, but something else was amiss.   
“And I’m out of fresh, green leaf teabags too! Freaking, Damn it!” James spat, before slamming the kitchen pantry door shut with a bang. “This is all I need right now, post three 14 hour shifts back to back!”  
James abruptly shifted in place to face Dean. And when he did, the hauntingly familiarity struck home.  
Shouting loudly before James had a chance to speak, Dean stretched out his main hand and pointed at James’s chest with his index finger. “I knew it! Those are my clothes!” Dean yelled. “How the hell did you get them!”  
James just sighed. “I didn’t steal them, if that is what you are assuming.” James replied. Gesturing to Sam silently with his head next, James narrowed his eyes. “They were donated to me, along with most of my other wardrobe by Sam.”  
Dean quickly glared over to his brother for an explanation. “Is that true?” Dean asked.  
“Yes Dean, it is.” Sam answered. “You and I both didn’t need our old clothes when we out grew them! Also, there was no point in holding onto them anyway because others, such as James, could use them.”  
“Well, how much in total did you give away?” Dean groaned. “A lot of my old clothing was lucky!”  
Before Sam could answer, James interrupted. “More than enough than I care to admit…” James sighed. “I have three closets worth of clothing, thanks to Sam. And ironically, most of it is weathered, stained and torn.” James then fell silent for a moment, his eyes shifting from Dean to the floor. Frowning slightly next, as if almost ashamed for one reason or another, James continued. “But I have no right to complain.” James mumbled. “After I dropped out of college, I kinda was in a rough place… I had little to no money, no where to stay, and was unable to find a job.”  
“I doubt that,” Dean said. “Look at the size of this house and everything here. You can’t tell me you’re poor and from humble beginnings. Everything here, including your bike outside, is not easily obtained by just desire.”  
“You’re right,” James muttered. “I did I come from humble beginnings—however what you see does not belong to me. This all belongs to my parents’, and the only reason why I am permitted to live here is because I am currently working a job they approve of and due to the fact I pay rent also. Otherwise, I’d be disowned and cast out onto the streets.”  
For a brief period following James’s comment, the only thing that was exchanged was utter silence. No one present dared to comment nor make light of the supposed situation. Not even Dean, though he was still angered from the loss of his prized possessions, dared to jeer James anymore than he already had. He too was silent; lost in contemplation of how to proceed. Nevertheless, despite the long awkward silence, James chose to break it willingly himself; determined to explain what needed to be said.  
“You see, I am the black sheep of the family.” James stammered. “Mainly due to the fact that I am Bisexual, eccentric by nature, and most of all, not really congenial in any proper way. And because I am socially awkward at the best of times, my pious, morally driven, hardworking middle class family views me as an embarrassment.”  
Still neither Dean, Castiel nor Sam dared to interrupt James. The three were too respectful and empathetic. They could relate to James’s plight far too well thanks to their own cumbersome and demanding past.  
“Even more so because I am the eldest son and I am not very successful.” James said, still refusing to permit any eye contact to be exchanged. “But luckily enough I was able to get into nursing and find a job which made my family happy enough not to abandon me entirely. And thanks to people like Sam and my friends across the way, I was able to support myself enough to get by while I had little to no income.”  
“He is not lying, Dean.” Castiel muttered. “I can sense how much hardship and pain he went through by just looking into his eyes—as well as the wavelength given off by his very soul.”  
“I can see that Cas…” Dean grumbled. “I may be, as Sam so well puts it, ‘emotionally constipated’ most of the time—but I am not a fool. I can tell if someone is lying too.”  
Getting up from where he sat, Sam walked over to where James was to comfort his friend as best he could. However, the very second Sam came near, James rebuffed his advance and grit his teeth. “But I don’t need pity, respect nor half-ass concern from anyone!” James huffed. “I never needed it before nor do I care what others think of me. I learned to survive on my own for the longest time and in the end that is all that matters. For I carry my own weight!”  
“You are a Lone Wolf by nature—but not by choice.” Castiel said with a blunt tone.  
James shot a quick uncompassionate glare at Castiel, yet said nothing in return. In response, Castiel just calmly looked back at him with an aloof glare of his own. Following that, the two just stared at one another indifferently, never once blinking for the longest time until it was required. Although, after a period of unbreakable silence which seemed to go on for countless minutes, Castiel was the first to speak; driven to start the conversation anew.  
“ _Tenacity, Forbearance, Compassion, and a profound resolve that always endures_.” Castiel said, as his eyes began to glow softly divine luminosity. “And despite the unrelenting anguish and anger that enshrouds you—inspired by this corrupt and shameful world—it is these attributes alone that I sense emanate from you unquestionably.”  
James raised an eyebrow, but otherwise remained unfazed by Castiel’s angelic presence.   
“You are indeed enduring.” Castiel continued. “And in time, despite your doubts, you shall find solace, Lone Wolf. I am sure of it. But for now, what you need most is rest.” Stretching out his main hand to gesture to both Sam and Dean, Castiel smiled. “Allow us to gather the necessities needed to support both you as well as ourselves for the length of our stay. Until then, please try and get some sleep—for you are weary. We shall be back soon within the next hour or so.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter three of the series. Chapter four is in the process of being created


End file.
